When a 21 year old man was arrested in Miami for murder, the homicide sergeant called it a “black magic thing.”  Miguel Cardenas shot and killed his victim because he was convinced the man had put a curse on his grandfather.  The grandfather had recently died, and Miguel attributed his death to a black magic spell.  He decided to put a violent, deadly end to the source of the sorcery.  Black magic made Miguel a murderer.

Black magic has also inspired numerous money-making schemes.  In Denver, a woman known only as Sister Yolanda Martinez performed seances and black magic rituals for fascinated customers.  She convinced women that their jewelry and money were cursed and instructed her victims to bring in their valuables so she could remove evil forces fromt hem.  She then made off with the jewels and money.  Sister Yolanda bilked native victims out of $22,000.

Black magic advocates are known to carry fetish bags containing potions and animal bones, as well as an occasional human finger.  Some black magicians poke pins into voodoo dolls to inflict pin or misfortune upon those who have angered them.

Still others cast black magic curses on career opponents to frighten or intimidate them into resigning their positions.  With the help of hexes, black magicians hope to advance in a world of professional rivalry.

Black magic was first introduced to the New World by slaves from West Africa.  These African captives had a strong religious system of magical and supernatural beliefs and practices.  In Africa, religion and magic were not separated as they were in Europe and America, and black magic religion was deeply entwined in every phase of their lives.  They believed the sun to be omnipotent, and they worshiped river and thunder spirits.

Among African slaves, black magic worship was primarily an individual practice, informal and ritualistic.  The custom began during slavery when slaves were forbidden to gather in groups.  Often a slave would steal into the woods at night to hold his own religious service.  As in West Africa, he worshiped a multitude of spirits and gods, praising in particular gods associated with natural objects.  In addition to their polytheistic belief system, West Africans worshiped their ancestors and believed a person’s powers did not end with death.  Dead people simply moved into another plane of existence from which they watched over their descendants.  If something went wrong in their lives, these spirits could intervene and protect their families.

Today, black magic is practiced by people of all races and ages for numerous reasons, ranging from rivalry to revenge.  Ancient theory holds that demons dwell within every person and can be malevolently manipulated through black magic.  These spirits are reached with the use of necromancy, spells, tarot cards, Ouija boards, astrology and witchcraft.

The recent revival in astrology and belief in the supernatural has contributed to an increased popularity in black magic.  For many, black magic seems to satisfy the need for order and discipline in a world of chaos.  The occult leads people to believe that spirits can be contacted and used for one’s own benefit.  Examples of malevolent black magic can be found in such cults as as voodoo and Santeria.

Sorcery is considered to be magic that aims to harm other people, that is “black” magic.  In contrast, magic used for beneficent ends in “white” magic.  Practically speaking, every shade of gray magic exists between black and white magic.  Most black magic advocates believe that through the use of charms, spells and potions, spiritual powers can be manipulated for one’s own advantage.  Thus, people selfishly practice all types of magic to achiev etheir own ends, seldom distinguishing between black and white versions.

Caucasian practioners of black magic are more formal, seeking magical assistance during defined times, usually during meetings or services.  They generally don’t express their religious beliefs to any great extent in daily routines.  Among Afro-Americans involved in black magic, however, the occult has historically been part of their everyday existence, deeply etched into their lives.  This tradition has been carried on by their ancestors.  Consequently, they are more likely to discuss it openly.  For both Caucasians and Afro-Americans occult magic provides its advocates with a system by which gods and spirits can be contacted. Satanic black magicians like Anton LaVey and thousands of Satanists employ black magic to manipulate spirits and supernatural powers to frighten or hurt others.

Black magicians concentrate on violence and devastation and believe man’s savage nature is a counterpart of the universe and its nature.  They believe man’s turbulence and triumphs parallel the universe on a smaller scale.  Human emotions such as pity, lust, love and hate exist on both the universal and the mortal levels.  These dynamic universal energies are named after gods and planets.  The lifeblood of the world is the sun, since its light and warmth ar enecessary for life on earth.  Mars, the Roman war god, is the name bestowed upon the ferociously destructive force of the universe.

Black magicians inflict disease, physical danger, and unfortunate circumstances on victims.  Many people are tempted to use black magic to get evenwith enemies or get ahead in life.

Charms and spells can eliminate an enemy or protect against someone else’s black magic.  Fetishes supposedly make one person love another or cause him to follow someone else’s wishes.  They can also be used to persuade someone toward benevolence or to change a bad fate to a good destiny.

Christians recognize the destructiveness of dabbling in the Devil’s territory.  Black magic dealings with occult powers conflict with the Christian eithic of turning the other cheek.  Christians believe in the personal power of God and his Son, Jesus Christ. The worship of nature or any other gods is considered blasphemous.  Emotions such as pride, lust and hate re deemed wicked and self-defeating.  Christians instead choose to concentrate on love, forgiveness and unselfishness.  Choosing to place their faith in God, Christians reject black magic as a cult in direct conflict with the gospel.

Some would argue tht black magic is not aways evil, that black magic medicine men usually practice “good magic”.  Witch doctors do sometimes attempt to use their knowledge and powers for beneficial purposes.  These magicians create healing potions from plants, herbs and minerals and also extend advice to those who ask for it.  Frequently they counsel fellow cultists on how to protect against evil forces, as well as how to prosper or gain good fortune.

West African black magic beliefs included witches, ghosts and vampires as part of their system, concepts that constitute the closest similarity between African and European magic.  According to European black magic tenets, a witch’s greatest desire was to eat people by sucking their blood.  Manh of today’s witches carry on this malevolent heritage of their ancestors, and use their powers for evil purposes.

Even white witches acknowledge the danger of dabbling in black magic.  They guard agains tthese evil spirits by drawing magic circles around themselves.

When witches call up a spirit, they know the summoned entity is powerful and dangerous.

Since witches frequently use such drugs as belladonna, aconite and hemlock, their minds and personalities are often vulnerable to evil spirits.  Mediums and witches who consort with spirits tell takes of others in their craft who become insane or committed suicide under the influence of evil spirits.

Christians recognize that dabbling in black magic will lead to spiritual enslavement by demons.  In the New Testament, black magic (witchcraft) is considered a work of the flesh in Galations 5:20.  Christians should refuse to be lured into the fascination of witchcraft and black magic.  Instead, they should arm themselves with God’s word and allow the Lord to guide their lives.  Brewing up an evil spell is dealing with the devil and can only lead to spiritual death.

Black magic attracts those who lust for power and want to dabble in the unknown, especially those seeking fame and wealth without working for it.  For some, black magic supplies simple cosmic answers to frustrations in a world of nuclear threat, starvation, pollution and political strife.  Through black magic rituals, people find order and comfort in universal truths.  Also, people are greatly fascinated by secretive things, which contributes to the macabre appeal of black magic and other occult activities.

People use black magic to control the future and other people’s lives.  Magicians practice their trade to get revenge on enemies or to protect themselves from bad spells.  Black magic rituals are also used to intimidate or harm fellow employees, so the black magician can be promoted or achieve more authority over others.

Necromancers attempt to foresee the future by contacting spirits of the dead.  Scripture admonishes that the entities magical mediums consult are not really dead but are instead the same demons encountered in other methods of fortune-telling.  Black magicians believe they are in control, but they are actually slaves to the demons guiding the activities.  Black magic tends toward evil and selfish induslgence without moral restraint.  Deuteronomy 18 lists the occult practices of black magic that the Lord has forbidden; 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 warns against any collusion with such secret works of darkness.